


Fire In My Bones Quakes

by Pameluke



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood Is Quite Magical, Couch Cuddles, Extra Treat, Love Is Magic, M/M, Magnus Bane Is Quite Magical, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Share Strength
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 05:32:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9705473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pameluke/pseuds/Pameluke
Summary: Magnus hasn’t touched Alec since it happened, and Alec feels his absence like a missing limb. All he wants to do is hide away in his boyfriend’s arms, instead, he had to undergo an exam by an Institute medic, his sister, and now Catarina. Three people have touched him since the incident, and none of them have been Magnus. Alec hates it.Alec accidentally acquires magic. No one is really sure how to deal with that.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RedOrchid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedOrchid/gifts).



Catarina’s magic feels different than Magnus’. A little colder, a little more prickly and less tingly. A lot less familiar. It makes him want to scratch his skin, like a fantom itch that’s there just because you’re thinking about something itchy. She’s standing pretty close, and he knows her, hell, he actually likes her most of all Magnus’ friends. But even with her standing a couple of feet away, he still feels she’s too close, like she’s invading his personal space. Her hands hover for a second, before moving upwards.

Alec’s chair moves backwards with a dazzling speed, its legs making a horrid, screeching sound on the floor, until he bumps into one of the bricked pillars in Magnus’ living room.

Catarina has stumbled a couple of steps backwards as well, but at least she’s still standing.

Fuck.

“I’m sorry,” Alec mumbles. “I’m not sure why I did that. Or how.”

From his spot on the couch, Magnus is frowning, worry obvious on his face. “Well, Catarina? Any ideas?”

He hasn’t touched Alec since it happened, and Alec feels his absence like a missing limb. All he wants to do is hide away in his boyfriend’s arms, instead, he had to undergo an exam by an Institute medic, his sister, and now Catarina. Three people have touched him since the incident, and none of them have been Magnus. Alec hates it.

“Obviously, Alec gained some of your magic somehow. What happened? Tell me exactly.”

Alec looks at Magnus, but he’s staring at the contents of his whiskey glass again. Seems it’s up to him to debrief. “We found a hideout of some runaway Circle members. They’d captured a werewolf family. We needed to extract the werewolves, but they’d shifted in their panic and anger. Magnus had to open a portal, keep the Circle members contained and calm the wolves. Jace and Izzy were on the second floor fighting, so he only had me as back-up. I gave him my strength, since he could do more good with it, and we’d done it before. It worked. We got everyone out.”

Alec resists the urge to stand up with his hands behind his back, but Catarina isn't his superior, he doesn't technically owe her an explanation. Still, her demeanor makes him want to be thorough and specific.

The wolves had been frantic once freed, worried about their kids, and furious due to their fear and pain. Alec had been relieved when Magnus had managed to get them all through the portal leading to the Jade Wolf. He’d kissed him, a quick peck on Magnus' cheek, before Magnus had stepped through the portal.

Alec had made his way upstairs, to help his brother and sister, make sure they were okay. If he’d known that would be their last kiss, he would have taken more time.

“When did you notice?” Catarina interrupts his thoughts, tapping her foot somewhat impatiently.

“Right after. I went upstairs to check up on Izzy and Jace. They were fine. I was aiming my bow when suddenly, a Circle member coming from upstairs attacked me. He caught me by surprise, and I set him on fire.”

“You set him on fire?” Catarina repeated. “How?”

“I’m not sure, I noticed him and not even a second later he was on fire. He never even touched me. We had to evacuate in a hurry, the whole place burned down,” Alec says. He hesitates for a moment, wondering if he should tell the truth.

“I’m sure it was me. I felt happy. They'd hurt all those werewolves, tried to come after my family, after me. I was- I was satisfied.”

Magnus looks up from his glass with a snap. “Oh, Alexander,” he said, looking incredibly sad.

“Well, that does sound like your magic,” Catarina says. “How deep did you go? You know better, Magnus.”

Magnus stands up from the couch, pacing on the floor, but not moving closer to Alec. He looks sad and frustrated, his hair and clothes still disheveled from the fight, now hours ago. Alec has never wanted to kiss him more.

“That’s just it!” Magnus yells. “I didn’t go deep at all! I didn’t need to pull. Alex- Alexander just gave, freely.”

At that, Magnus finally looks at Alec again, eyes burning with so much love, admiration and wonder, Alec has to swallow.

Magnus’ shirt pops open.

Catarina snorts rather unladylike and rolls her eyes. It lifts the heavy mood in the room.

“Really, Alexander, now is hardly the time,” Magnus sighs, but he leaves his shirt open.

“I can’t help it! It’s your magic!” 

Alec regrets his words the moment they leave his lips, because Magnus frowns again. He lets himself fall back into the couch, and stares at the ceiling, avoiding Alec's eyes.

“How do we fix it?” Alec asks Catarina, willing her to have an answer, to fix it, so Magnus acts like himself again. Acts like his boyfriend again.

“It would seem that while sharing your strength, you let all your guards down. I believe Magnus’ magic used your connection to fill in the void of the energy you expended.”

“Okay, but how do we fix it?” Alec is losing his patience.

“As far as I know, this has never happened before. Warlocks know how to shield their essence when sharing strength, and no Shadowhunter has ever trusted one of us enough to share their strenght this willingly.”

Magnus gasps indignantly. “Are you saying this happened because we trust each other?”

Catarina rolls her eyes again. It’s one of the many reasons Alec likes her so much, really. She walks over to Magnus and crouches in front of him, forcing him to look at her. “I’m saying this happened because you love each other so much, your essences joined.”

She stands up again and smiles at Alec. “As long as you don’t reopen the connection, I suspect it’ll fade away with time. In the mean time, or if it doesn’t, there’s nothing I can do.” Her smile turns into a smirk. “You’ll have to practice your magic.”

She waves and draws herself a portal and before Alec can respond, she’s gone.

Alec is still sitting on the chair, Magnus is still on the couch, and for the first time since they got together months ago, the silence between them is awkward.

It’s Alec who breaks it. He wants to make a joke to lighten the mood, but what comes out is completely the opposite. “Why won’t you touch me?”

Magnus sighs. “Because I’m afraid that if I touch you, I’ll make it even worse.”

“The only thing making it worse is that I could really use a hug of my boyfriend, and he’s holding out on me.” 

Alec tries to move the couch towards him on purpose this time, but this magic business is wonky, and it won’t work. He has to stand up and walk towards the couch himself. But every step he takes makes him feel better about the situation. He's still in control of his body. He'll find a way to control this magic too.

He sits down beside Magnus, not touching him, but arm resting on the backrest behind him. “Really, Magnus, I’ll be fine. It’ll go away, and if it doesn’t, you’ll just teach me magic.” Alec winks. “It’s always fun when you teach me things.”

Magnus closes his eyes for a second and nods at himself. “Okay,” he says. “We’ll manage.”

“We always do,” Alec agrees. “Now kiss me already.”

And Magnus does. It starts out soft, just lips and a hint of tongue. But Alec has missed Magnus, felt uncentered without him, so he deepens the kiss without hesitation, pulling Magnus closer until he’s in his lap. They kiss for what feels like a lifetime, until not only Alec’s lips, but his entire skin is tingling.

Magnus pulls back a little to catch a breath. “Alexander,” he says against Alec’s lips. “We’re floating.”

Alec looks up in surprise, to find that the couch they’re on is hovering a couple of feet above the floor. As is the coffee table. And the sidetables, the armchairs, and Magnus’ weird lamp.

Alec looks back at Magnus, who’s smirking a little bit, lips red and cheeks flushed. Alec shrugs. “Pretty sure that’s you,” he says and kisses Magnus again.

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk shadowhunters with me [on tumblr](http://janoda.tumblr.com) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/janoda)! I have a lot of feelings and love to chat :D


End file.
